diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig
index 6c46829271..1cbdb77ace 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ config CPU_FAM_ESP32
 
     select PACKAGE_ESP32_SDK if TEST_KCONFIG
 
-    select MODULE_LIBC_GETTIMEOFDAY if TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_MALLOC_THREAD_SAFE if !MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP && TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_RTT_RTC if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PERIPH_RTC
     select MODULE_PERIPH_RTT if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PM_LAYERED
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
index af0523a277..f8adb31701 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
@@ -117,5 +117,3 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter esp_jtag,$(USEMODULE)))
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += esp_jtag
 endif
-
-USEMODULE += libc_gettimeofday
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/syscalls.c b/cpu/esp32/syscalls.c
index 41118fb17e..5e0a574838 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/syscalls.c
+++ b/cpu/esp32/syscalls.c
@@ -138,6 +138,17 @@ int clock_gettime(clockid_t clock_id, struct timespec *tp)
     return clock_gettime_r(_GLOBAL_REENT, clock_id, tp);
 }
 
+#if !IS_USED(MODULE_LIBC_GETTIMEOFDAY)
+int IRAM _gettimeofday_r(struct _reent *r, struct timeval *tv, void *tz)
+{
+    (void) tz;
+    uint64_t now = system_get_time_64();
+    tv->tv_sec = div_u64_by_1000000(now);
+    tv->tv_usec = now - (tv->tv_sec * US_PER_SEC);
+    return 0;
+}
+#endif
+
 static int _no_sys_func(struct _reent *r)
 {
     DEBUG("%s: system function does not exist\n", __func__);